Ten minutes, 4 seconds.
That’s how long host Menlo School was held without a point by Atherton neighbor Sacred Heart Prep on Friday night. The SHP boys basketball team scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to rout its rival 45-32 in front of a raucous crowd that witnessed the West Bay Athletic League contest.
“I haven’t seen that good a defense in my eight years at Sacred Heart — for a half,” SHP coach Tony Martinelli said. “In my time coaching, that was something different. And to me, defense is what is going to carry you deep in the playoffs.”
The teams entered with identical records, and Menlo (15-7, 8-4 WBAL) looked poised to claim control of second place by jumping out to a 7-0 lead. But the Gators (16-6, 9-3), who have won the past two Central Coast Section Div. IV titles, tied the game during a 30-second span that culminated with a 3-pointer from Derek Hunter — one of six makes from beyond the arc for SHP.
SHP took its first lead at 19-18 with 4:27 left in the first half off a steal and layin by senior Franklin Bird, but the Knights reclaimed a 25-23 edge before halftime after a wild sequence that saw Menlo senior Freddy Avis — a right-handed pitcher ranked as the 39th best MLB prospect by Baseball America — block a shot at one end and hit a 3-pointer at the other with 16 seconds left.
Menlo’s lead disappeared 13 seconds into the third quarter as SHP senior Cole McConnell hit a long-range shot from the top of the key.
“I would say the first half of the season Matt (McNamara) was our MVP,” said Martinelli, who lost his senior point guard to a stress facture early in the WBAL campaign. “And in the second half, once Matt went down, Cole found that leadership voice not only just the way he plays, but being able to explain to guys what needs to be done on the floor.”
Menlo fought back to move ahead 30-29 with 3:57 on a putback by 6-foot-6 senior Richard Harris, who led the team with 12 points, but that was the last bucket the Knights sank.
SHP, which had issues of its own on the offensive end, methodically pulled away as it suffocated Menlo by employing a full-court press.
“I didn’t know they hadn’t scored,” said McConnell, who netted 10 points. “I knew they hadn’t scored much and that we were pulling ahead.”
SHP led 37-30 after the third quarter and its first points in the fourth quarter came off an in-bound alley oop to Pat Bruni, who led the Gators with 13 points.
Menlo managed to make two free throws with 1:53 left for its only points of the fourth quarter as the Knights were held to seven points in the second half.
“You never notice when you’re coaching, but you keep looking at the scoreboard and you kind of feel like the numbers haven’t changed,” Martinelli said. “And offensively we weren’t getting much separation, but we just kept buckling down and keeping the ball out of Harris down low. Guys were selling out, keeping them from getting the ball. And to me, if we keep playing defense like that, we have another shot this year.”
SHP and Menlo close out the regular season next week before moving on to the WBAL playoffs.
“We know that this isn’t the end of the season,” Menlo coach Delandro Leday said. “That was the main thing I was trying to get through to the kids. When the playoffs come, hopefully we’ll get one of those higher seeds where we’ll play here. And who knows, we may see Sacred Heart again.”
“Wins and losses as a coach — whatever,” SHP coach Ann Tafolla said. “It’s how you get to feel when they accomplish the journey, when they get to the end. That part is fun.”
The Knights (14-9, 5-5) were led by Lauren Lete with 11 points.
Email Vytas Mazeika at vmazeika@dailynewsgroup.com.
Sacred Heart Prep 12 11 14 8 — 45
Menlo School 14 11 5 2 — 32
SHP–Bruni 5 1-4 13, McConnell 2 5-7 10, Bennett 1 4-5 6, Donahoe 1 2-2 5, Galliani 2 0-0 5, Hunter 1 0-0 3, Bird 1 0-0 2, Van 0 1-2 1. Totals 13 13-20 45
MS–Harris 5 2-2 12, Avis 2 1-2 7, Huber 1 2-3 4, Young 2 0-0 4, Miller 1 1-3 3, Roth 1 0-0 2. Totals 12 6-10 32
3-pointers: Bruni, McConnell, Hunter, Donahoe, Galliani (SHP); Avis 2 (MS)
